Carton



Feb. 8, 19.44. M. A. SMITH 2,341,397

CARTON Filed Aug. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M, A. SMITH Feb. 8, 1944.

CARTON Filed Aug. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented F ch. 8, 1944 CARTON Milton A. Smith, Chiea Carton Company, of Delaware go, 111., assignor to Chicago Chicago, 111., a corporation Application August 12, 1940, Serial No. 352,213

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in cartons and more particularly to paper board cartons. The main, objects of the invention are to provide a carton of the character indicated with a dispensing spout; to provide a dispensing spout in a carton which may be easily and repeatedly opened and closed; to provide a dispensing spout construction which is contained wholly within the thickness of a wall structure of a carton and is free from any part projecting, into the interior of the carton; to provide an arrangement whereby the movement of the spout from closed to open position and from open position to closed position is effectively limited; to provide a dispensing spout construction having the indicated characteristics which will be efficient and durable in use and which may be easily and economically manufactured; and in general, it is the object of the invention to provide an improved dispensing spout structure for cartons.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings (two sheets) wherein there is disclosed a carton embodying a selected form of the improved spout construction.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a carton in closed, sealed condition and which is provided with the improved dispensingspout structure;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of an end portion of the carton provided with the improved spout and shown in opened position;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig.4 is a section on the-lin 4-4 of- Fig. 3;

r Fig. 5 is a plan of the spout containing endof the carton with one fiap portion removed to moreclearly reveal the construction of the spout;

Fig; 6 is a perspective of the carton in partially formed condition and showing the formation of the spout structure in the flaps for closing one end of the car-ton; and

Fig. 7- is a plan of the blank from which the carton is formed.

Referring now to the drawings, the dispensing spout construction herein contemplated isillustrated in connection with a conventional form of rectangular carton formed from a blank such as illustrated in Figure 7. Said blank is provided with suitable fold lines indicated at 8 which facilitates folding of the carton to form a tubular body, one end of the blank being provided with a lipor flap 9 adapted-t0 besecured in overlapping relation to a, corresponding. marginal portion of,

the opposite end of the blank. The blank is also provided with suitable fold lines Ill-l0 which facilitate folding of end forming flaps to form multi-ply end walls for the carton body. In this instance the bottom of the carton is formed by flaps ll separated by slits I Z, the flaps being folded into overlapping relation in any suitable manner as indicated in Figures 3 and 4 and stapled or adhesively or otherwise secured in such position.

The top end closure is similarly formed by means of flaps l3, l4, l5 and I6 which are foldable into overlapping relationalong the upper fold line H). The side wall, flaps l3 and I5 are adapted to be first folded inwardly and they may be of such length that their inner edges will meet intermediate the width of the carton, or they may overlap somewhat as indicated in Figure 3. Said flaps are, however, provided with notches or. openings such as indicated at I! so as to provide an outlet opening through said flaps l3 and I5 when in end wall forming position. 1

The end flap I6 is next folded inwardly into overlappingv relation to the flaps I3 and [5. The flap it may be adhesively secured to the underlying flaps i3 and l 5 by adhesive applied so as to contact marginal portions of the flap [6 as indi-, cated at 18 in Figure 7. Said flap is provided within its periphery with spout forming structure comprising a spout botton Wall portion l9, segmental side wall portions 243, 28 and movement limiting Wings 29, 2|. The spoutforming structure is separated from the flap I5 by slitting 22 except that it remains integrally but hingedly connected to: the flap along a fold line indicated at 23-. The flap is further provided with cut-outs or openings 25, 24 in which the said wings 2|, 2t are adapted to travel incident to opening and closing of the spout.

The side Wall portions 20., 20 are foldable relative to the bottom wall portion I9 along'suitably formed fold lines 25, 25- and said side wall portions are foldable relative to the wings 2!, 2| or suitable fold lines 26, 25. The end walls 20, 20 are also bendable along suitable fold lines 21, 21.

After the end flap I6 is folded and adhesively secured to the underlying flaps l3 and I5 the end flap M is folded into overlapping relation to said flap it. The flap I 4 is also adhesively secured in position by means of adhesive which will contact only the marginal portion of the flap as indicated at 28 so as to avoid any adhesive connection between the flap M and any portion of the spout forming structure of the flap IS. The flap I4 is provided with perforated score lines indicated at 29 and a short slit 30 which define a removable central portion through which the spout structure is adapted to be withdrawn when said removable portion is torn out of the flap I4. The slit 30 serves to provide access to the removable portion of the flap I4 to facilitate removal thereof.

The completed package appears as shown in Figure 1 with a removable portion visible on the top end wall flap I4, said removable portion being, however, effectively retained in the flap I4 until it is positively and intentionally torn out. As soon as the removable portion 3| is torn out, there is exposed in the opening so formed the bottom wall portion I9 of the spout structure, the hinge line 23 of which is substan-' tially coincident with one edge of the opening in the flap I4. The opposite or slit formed end of the spout bottom I9 is preferably arched as illustrated and approaches the adjacent side of said opening in the wall I4 and it will be observed that the outward recess formed by the slit 30 facilitates access to said slit formed end I9 of the spout structure.

It will be observed that the spout structure is confined between the innermost flaps I3 and I5 and the outer flap I4 and within the thickness of the flap I6, in which the spout structure is formed. Inasmuch as the adhesive employed for securing the overlying flaps in closed position are restricted to marginal portions of the flaps, the spout structure remains free except for its hinge connection to the flap I6, so that the bottom wall portion I9 of the spout may be pulled outwardly with the result that the side portions 20, will be withdrawn from between the flaps I3 and I4 or I5 and I4, to the extent permitted by the openings 24, 24 and the wings 2|, 2|. It will be observed that the wings 2|, 2| are confined between the flaps I3 and I4 or I5 and I4, for lateral movement, and that such movement of the wings is restricted by the length of the opening 24. Outward or opening movement of the spout is of course stopped by engagement of the front edges 32, 32 of the wings with the ends 33, 33 of said openings 24. Closing movement of the spout structure is limited by engagement of the edges 34, 34 of the wings with the adjacent edges of the flap I6.

In the opening and closing movement of the spout structure, the side forming portions 20, 20 thereof bend upon themselves along the fold lines 21, such bending facilitating the withdrawal and return of said wings from between the respective underlying and overlying flaps.

The described dispensing spout structure involves no extra forming operations, nor any extra parts. The various slits and fold lines required for production of the spout structure may be produced in connection with the normal box blank cutting operations and the structure is such that conventional box forming equipment may be employed for setting up the boxes. Hence the structure is both easy and economical to produce. Changes in the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim:

1. A paper board container having a wall comprising inner, outer and intermediate portions, said intermediate portion being cut and scored so as to define a pouring spout structure having a bottom hingedly connected to said intermediate wall portion and sides foldably connected to said bottom, said spout structure being free of face to face attachment to said inner and outer 5 walls and being adjustable from closed position substantially co-planar with said intermediate wall portion to open position wherein said spout bottom is swung outwardly on its hinged connection with the intermediate wall and said spout sides are moved edgewise from said closed position between said inner and outer wall portions to angularly, outwardly extending position relative to said wall of the container, said inner and outer wall portions having openings registering with said spout bottom for the discharge of the content of the container from said spout, the opening in said outer wall portion also serving to permit opening of the spout structure as aforesaid, and means for limiting the openin movement of said spout structure, said means comprising an edgewise extension on one of said spout sides and a recess in said intermediate wall portion for movably receiving said extension, said recess and extension being so arranged and being of such size as to limit the movability of said extension.

2. In a paper board container of the class described, a wall comprising inner, outer and intermediate overlapping portions, a spout structure in said intermediate portion comprising a bot-' tom, sides and wing portions extending beyond said sides, said spout structure being foldably connected to said intermediate wall portion along one end of said bottom but being elsewhere separated from said intermediate wall portion, said inner and outer wall portions being provided with dispensing openings substantially registered with said spout bottom so as to permit outward fold ing of said spout bottom in the opening of said outer wall portion, said spout sides being thereby incidentally movable edgewise from between said inner and outer wall portions and said intermediate wall portion being provided with openings for permitting limited edgewise movement of said wings within the thickness of said intermee diate wall as an incident to said movement. of the spout sides, said last mentioned openings respectively having edge portions spaced from edge portions of said wings when the spout is closed and said opening edge portions being adapted to be engaged by said wing edge portions to limit the outward folding of said spout bottom and sides to a predetermined dispensing spout-forming position.

3. A paper board container having a wall comprising mutually overlapping inner, outerand intermediate portions, said intermediate portion being cut and scored so as to provide a foldable spout structure embodying a spout bottom hingedly connected at one end to said intermediate wall portion, spout sides each embodying a pair of hingedly connected sections, a pair of wings, one of said side sections of each pair being hingedly connected to a side edge of said spout bottom and the other side section of each pair being hingedly connected to one of said wings, said wings projecting beyond the end edges of the respective sections, said spout structure having a normally closed position, coplanarwith said intermediate wall portion and being adjustable to open position by outward swinging of said spout bottom on its hinge connection with said intermediate wall portion together with incidental edgewise movement of said side sections from between said inner and outer wall portions to open spout-side position,

said intermediate wall portion being provided with openings permitting limited edgewise movement of said wings Within the thickness of said intermediate wall as an incident to said movement of the side sections, said openings and wings having edge portions adapted. to interengage to limit opening movement of said wings to thereby limit the opening movement of the spout 10 structure, the hinged connection between thesections of each spout side serving in the closing 

